Daily English - Day 23

for the American TH sounds, both the unvoiced TH and the voiced TH. Vvvvvv... This is one of my favorite areas because when you correctly produce TH sounds, you will significantly improve the way you speak English. Later on in this video we will also address voiced T sounds. Now except for maybe a few languages English is one of the only languages in the world that has a TH sound where your tongue comes out between your teeth. Now, you may have a difficult time with this sound because this sound probably does not exist in your own native language. Therefore, you don't think to use this sound when you speak English. Most likely, you just substitute another sound like a T or an S. So instead of saying a word like thumb, my thumb, which this is, and notice how my tongue is coming out, my thumb, you've been saying come, my come, or my some, and your tongue is not coming out. That is not correct. If you make mistakes like this in connected speech over and over again, there is a good chance people are not going to understand you. I have found that some people from different cultures of the world find the idea of sticking out their tongue when they speak to be rude and offensive, even if it is to produce a TH sound. I want you to understand that this is how Americans speak English, and it is something that you must become comfortable with if you wish to speak well. To produce TH sounds correctly, you need to first stick your tongue out between your teeth and bite down slightly, then blow. This creates air friction. The sound comes from the air friction and should be pretty loud. Keep your tongue flat and maintain an even steady flow of air. Now I'm not just saying stick it out a little bit, I'm saying stick it way out, at least while you're practicing to get used to the feeling. The TH sound comes from the air and the friction. You have got to hear it and it should be somewhat loud. Like that. If you're like most people, you may need to work on this a little bit, but trust me, I know you can do it. Hundreds of my clients who have never produced a TH sound in their lives are speaking English clearly and beautifully because they've learned how to do this. It may help if you look in a mirror and watch your mouth and your tongue. See if you can maintain the air flow for three seconds. Like that. I know this may feel very strange and uncomfortable to do, possibly, but soon you'll get used to it and this small change in your speech is going to really improve how your English sounds. Now the TH sound is a friction sound and it's not as loud as other speech sounds. Therefore, American speakers stretch them out a little bit. We don't even realize we do this, but this makes the sound come out clearer. Let me show you what I mean. Let's look again at the word thumb. For practicing purposes, think of the word in two beats. One, two. Thumb. Like that. You see that? Notice how long I'm holding the TH sound. Thumb. It's not good enough just to put your tongue between your teeth and say a TH word like this. Thumb. You see that? My tongue came out, but there was never any air friction. That's not good. You must stretch out the TH sound and hear the air friction. Thumb. Like that. Let's practice some words with TH sounds. First, at the beginning of words. Here we go. Thanks. Thick. Thunder. Some words with TH sounds. First, at the beginning of words. Here we go. Thanks. Thick. Thunder. Thursday. Think. Now in the middle of words. Anything. Bath mat. Toothpick. Athletic. Anything. Bath mat. Toothpick. Athletic. Mouthwash. Now at the ends of words. Bath. North. Beneath. Forth. South. All you have to do is take the TH sound that I just showed you and just add voicing. Th. That's the voiced TH. You should be able to feel a strong vibration in your throat and on your tongue. Th. Let's go over some of these voiced TH sounds. This first set of words are some of the most commonly used words in English. And yes, they should all be voiced and all made with your tongue coming through your teeth. First, at the beginning of words. The. Like the book. That. That house. That. They. They came over. Them. Give them water. There. There it is. There. This. This is my nose. Those. Those boys. Are. Are good. These. These are. These. These are my parents. You know, another good way to practice these words is by going around your room and naming everything you see. Using a TH word. For example, the chair. The. The chair. That window. Those book. This door. This. Door. There. That. Like that. Then go around and name your body parts and some clothing. Like that shoe. This. That shoe. This watch. These. This. This watch. Watch. These feet. Okay, that may be helpful. Let's look at these voiced TH sounds in the middle of words. Clothing. Notice how my tongue comes out in the middle of the word and the TH sound is pushed out. Clothing. Clothing. Clothing. Clothing. Notice how my... Clothing. Clothing. My tongue comes out in the middle of the word and the TH sound is pushed out. Clothing. Leather. Say... Leather. Same thing. Stick out your tongue and make a strong vibration. Leather. Mother. Another. Weather. Northern. And now at the ends of words. Smooth. Believe it or not, the TH sound in smooth is voiced. Most foreign speakers say this word incorrectly. They say smooth with an unvoiced TH. But it's voiced. Smooth. The word bath is a noun with an unvoiced TH. But it's voiced. Smooth. The word bath is a noun with an unvoiced TH. Bath. But when you change it into a verb, to bathe, the vowel changes to an A sound and the TH is voiced. Bathe. Like in bathing suit. Breathe. Same thing. Breath is a noun. Take a breath. Unvoiced. But when you change it into a verb, the vowel changes and it becomes breathe. Breathe. I am breathing with a voiced TH. Breathe. Now let's do some practice phrases. These all have voiced and unvoiced TH sounds. Repeat after me. This and that. A tablecloth. Winter clothing. Athens, Greece. That, that. A tablecloth. Winter clothing. Athens, Greece. That's the one. Tablecloth. Winter clothing. Athens, Greece. That's the one. Her skin is smooth. Her skin. Her skin is smooth. Thirty days notice. The one. Her skin is smooth. Thirty days notice. A famous author. Here and. Thirty days notice. A famous author. Here and there. False teeth. Thread. The needle. A thoughtful gift. Thunder. And lightning. Thumbs up. Repeat these sentences. Thelma arrived in town. Last Thursday. I'm having trouble. Threading. This needle. I need thirty-three. Thick. Thermometers. Thick. Thermometers. Athens. Athens is the weather. This. Thrilling. Thrilling novel. Was written. By a famous. By a famous author. He will be through. With his work at three-thirty. Famous author. With his work at three-thirty. Now and then. She likes to buy new clothing. They thought. They were going. To northern Spain. Which tablecloth. Shall we use. For the party. Party. That was the thirty-third. To read. That was the thirty-third theater. To open. Throne. Thread. Throw. Throat. Thrill. Three. Through. Throne. No. It. She knew. To. Three. Club. That. Testing. This was. With arthritis. Athletic. You. Tom. T. Tom. T. To. Water. Better. Butter. Better. But. Betty bought a bit. Of better butter. But said she, this butter's bitter. If I put it in my. In my butter. It make. My butter. Bitter. T. Betty bought. A bit of better butter. But said she, this butter's bitter. Better. it in my batter, it'll make my batter bitter. Well, that was a mouthful. Okay, start by practicing it slow and then later get faster. Try to let the words just roll out of your mouth. That's it for today's session. Try spending some time in front of a mirror and practicing those TH sounds like thumb and throw. This small change will really improve your English and make you a lot more understandable.